POETRY KAHLIL GIBRAN: Nalukettu

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Jumat, 12 Desember 2008

Kerala photos: Chinese net, village pond, nadumuttam

Chinese net, a common scene along the Vembanad Lake

Our bathing pond at Thekkanattu Parayil, Olavipe.

Nadumuttam (inner courtyard) at Olavipe. My grandchildren Adithya and Archana,

at play. Photo taken about 12 years ago.

More Kerala images at:

Photos: Kerala fruits

Photos: Olavipe blooms

Travel: Some Cochin photos

Sabtu, 26 Januari 2008

Kerala Architecture: Exterior of a heritage home

Westside views of the Thekkanattu Parayil Tharakans'

heritage home at Olavipe, Kerala

Center portion

View from the north end. In the foreground is the 'nalukettu' area.

Click on images for enlarged view. Photos by Abraham Tharakan. Copyright reserved.

Ends.

Also see:

Kerala Architecture - Olavipe Heritage Home

Kerala Architecture: Nalukettu, ettukettu, pathinarukettu

Jumat, 23 November 2007

Kerala architecture: Verandas, corridors of a nalukettu house

Images from Thekkanattu Parayil Tharakans' heritage home at Olavipe.

Gatehouse corridor. Photo: KO Isaac

Eastern veranda downstairs. Photo: AT.

Western veranda downstairs. Photo: AT

Eastern veranda upstairs: Photo: TP

Corridor to the nalukettu. Photo: AT

Ends.

Also see:

Kerala architecture: Mansion of the Marquises

Kerala Architecture: Interiors

Kerala Architecture: Exterior of a heritage home

Kerala Architecture - Olavipe Heritage Home

Minggu, 21 Oktober 2007

Kerala architecture: More on nalukettu

My post Kerala Architecture: Nalukettu, ettukettu, pathinarukettu keeps on attracting so many visitors that I thought more information on the subject would be appropriate. For the benefit of those who are not familiar with the term, nalukettu means an open inner courtyard (nadumuttam) with built up area all around. The literal translation of nalukettu is ‘buildings on all four sides’.

The photo above is that of our nalukettu at Thekkanattu Parayil, Olavipe taken from an upstairs window. It gives a fairly good idea of the layout. The traditional nalukettus were either rectangular or square. I have not come across nalukettu of any other shape in old houses.

What is the purpose of a nalukettu? I can only comment based on my experience. The functional parts of it are the verandas on the western and eastern sides. Because of the excellent cross ventilation these always remain cool. Another reason for this low temperature effect could be that the hot air keeps escaping through the open roofless space in the middle.

There is an old neem tree opposite to the western door across the outer courtyard and the breeze that blows in from the Olavipe Lake carries the faint smell from its leaves. That is supposed to be healthy. Normally there would be a medicinal tulasi (basil) plant in the inner courtyard. We don’t have tulasi in the nadumuttam because it is there in the front of the house.

The nadumuttam is an excellent place for little children to play safely, say, like a large pen. It is also used to keep vessels like cauldrons which are not in regular use. Those which are in constant usage would be at the places where they are required, and those which are rarely needed, would be in the attic. The nadumuttam also provides good lighting to the built up space around it.

But above all, nalukettu is the living area, traditionally for the ladies and children. Now of course men also use the comfortable verandas. I am giving below two photos to indicate the use of nalukettu as the living room.

My wife Annie and brother Joe

That's me relaxing

Photos: Top - AT, last two - KO Isaac
Click on photos for enlarged view.

Ends.

Also see:
Kerala architecture – ‘Ara’ in heritage homes

Kerala Architecture: Exterior of a heritage home

Minggu, 12 Agustus 2007

Kerala Architecture: Nalukettu, ettukettu, pathinarukettu

A number of people seem to be fascinated with traditional Kerala nalukettu houses. Nalukettu means a residence with one inner courtyard. Ettukettu would have two such courtyards, and ‘pathinarukettu’, four. I found all kinds of statements about these on the Internet. I am not commenting on them but feel that it may be worthwhile to record my personal knowledge of several such houses and how life was in them.

My mother’s house, Konduparambil, and my home, Thekkanattu Parayil, are both nalukettu. Five other Parayil heritage homes (100+ years) which I know well from childhood are ettukettu. All these buildings are east facing. In our ettukettu houses the smaller of the two quadrangles is located at about the centre of the building and the larger one in the north, near the kitchen.

The construction of Thekkanattu which is the smallest among the Parayil heritage mansions started in 1890. It blends the traditional architectural style and the concepts of the modern house designs that were to follow in 20c. Here also the nalukettu is located at the north end – the single-storied area in the photo below:

Photo: TP

Now, about the inside layout. There are two broad, well-ventilated verandas on the western and eastern sides of our nalukettu and two narrower ones connecting them. The eastern veranda which is near the kitchen is not used much by the family.